Carbon emissions in Madison suburbs exceed national average

And while density and access to public transit are major factors, so is wealth, according to Morgan Edwards, an assistant professor of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin. Her research focuses on the role of technology in addressing the threat of climate change. “It’s not surprising that, all else equal, emissions are higher in more affluent and less densely populated areas, but these averages can also mask a lot of variability,” Edwards said. “Two households in the same neighborhood could have very different emissions.”